January 8, 2026
Key Takeouts – Navigating the Uncertainty in Business and Media
At the Americas Financial Marketing Leaders’ Summit in New York, the World Media Group brought together a panel of leading journalists to explore the complex economic and political environment currently shaping financial communications. Lananh Nguyen, US Finance Editor at Reuters, and Jacob Bogage, White House Economics Correspondent for The Washington Post, offered invaluable insights into how businesses and media organisations are adapting to unprecedented levels of change and unpredictability.
Operating in chaos – the new normal
Perhaps the most striking theme from the discussion was how businesses have learnt to operate within what Bogage described as an inherently “reactionary” administration lacking clear ideological consistency. The early days of the Trump administration saw a pace of policy announcements Bogage said was “unsustainable from an organisation standpoint.”
Nguyen noted that businesses have become adept at distinguishing between headline-grabbing announcements and substantive policy changes. When it comes to tariffs, for instance, companies recognise that “trade negotiations take a long time. This is a starting point, and we’re going to have negotiations over many months, and we are not at a final end state yet.” This measured approach prevents businesses from constantly recalibrating their strategies based on every press conference or social media post.
The changing nature of power and influence
Bogage highlighted a crucial shift in how power operates within the current administration. Rather than focusing solely on Oval Office announcements, many of which he characterised as largely “ceremonial” events for cameras, journalists and business leaders alike must track how influence has dispersed across various agencies and departments. “Sometimes you have to look beyond the Oval Office and look at who is truly building power, and that’s a more sustainable way to report on the administration,” he explained.
This dispersed power structure creates new challenges for dealmakers and corporate strategists. Nguyen described how senior executives must now navigate a “dual track” system, considering not only traditional regulatory processes but also presidential interest in specific deals and relationships with individual CEOs. As one dealmaker put it, understanding “which CEOs he likes or doesn’t like” has become part of the strategic calculation.
The AI reality check
The discussion around artificial intelligence revealed a market undergoing a healthy correction after periods of excessive hype. Nguyen reported broad consensus at recent Reuters conferences that investors are now applying more rigorous scrutiny to any company positioning itself within the AI space. The key question has shifted from excitement about potential to fundamental business viability: “Do you actually make money? Do we think that the thing you’re doing can make money? And then we’ll write a cheque.”
This more measured approach reflects what Nguyen called a “healthy scepticism” rather than evidence of a bubble about to burst. The AI tools that are proving their value – those used by corporate professionals for reading, summarising and drafting content for example – are becoming integrated into daily workflows, much as the internet did.
Financial cognitive dissonance
One of the most challenging dynamics facing both policymakers and businesses is what Nguyen described as a “cognitive dissonance” between consumer sentiment and economic data. Whilst consumers spending remains robust according to bank reporting, the sense of financial pressure is palpable. “You go and buy a coffee for $10 – it’s painful, no matter how much you earn,” Nguyen observed.
This disconnect creates significant political and commercial risks. Bogage warned that the gap between corporate optimism and consumer pessimism will likely feature prominently in upcoming elections, with the question “Why are major firms so optimistic, but you are not?” serving as a powerful populist message. Previous attempts by the Biden administration to “dictate to the American people, you should feel better” proved unsuccessful, and the Trump administration now faces the same challenge.
Listening to audiences
Both journalists emphasised the evolving nature of how news organisations connect with audiences. Bogage’s innovative approach to covering the government shutdown exemplified this shift. Rather than producing traditional articles, his team responded directly to audience questions through video content using simple green and red signs to indicate which services were open or closed. The content performed exceptionally well across platforms, from TikTok to LinkedIn. Bogage likes to think of it as “We’re not a newspaper, we’re an accountability organisation,” and with that comes an obligation to be ”really generous and really attentive to our audiences”.
This perspective allows for flexibility in format whilst maintaining journalistic rigour. Nguyen echoed this sentiment, highlighting Reuters’ expansion into podcasts, events and video content, all underpinned by the subject matter expertise and source relationships that distinguish professional journalism.
Trust in an age of disinformation
When asked about maintaining credibility in an environment where everybody who has a camera or phone is a reporter, both journalists emphasised that institutional trust now flows through individual relationships.
Bogage noted a shift towards placing greater responsibility on individual journalists, as the representative of their media brand: “I have a lot of people who tell me, I trust you, Jacob. And therefore, if you are willing to be at this place, I trust this place.”
Nguyen says that because Reuters and its journalists have over time established a reputation across the industry and across the world, her approach is straightforward: “All we can do is say, here’s how I stand out. I stand out because myself, my colleagues, my team, my entire organisation, thrives and lives and breathes based on our integrity and the quality of our reporting.”